During use, an owner of a pickup truck is required to repeatedly open and close the tailgate of his or her pickup truck to provide selective access to the cargo area of the truck. In particular instances, the user may be required to remove the tailgate from the truck so as to provide the necessary accommodations for larger loads. In modern truck designs, compromises must be struck to permit the installation of ever-greater number and types of features in the truck while still maintaining the ease of use the earlier designs contained.